some bird she has seen, or the clouds, or the
moon, or some other random stuff; there is no fixing her to any sense.'

"'Perhaps, Mrs. Harris,' Fanny said, 'she has heard your praises, and
those of other people, till she is tired of them.'

"'Pish!' answered Mrs. Harris; 'did you ever hear of anyone ever being
tired of their own praises? The more they hear of them the more they
crave them; but this child has not sense enough to listen to them. Do
you know what it is for a person to have their wits a wool-gathering?
Depend on it that Miss Vaughan, with all her riches and all her
prettiness, is a very dull child; but it is not my business to say as
much as that to the ladies; they will find it out by-and-by, that is
sure. But it is a bad look-out for you and me, Fanny, with such chances
as we have; for if Miss Evelyn was like other young ladies, we might be
sure to make our fortune by her. I have known several people in my
condition get such a hold on the hearts of children of high
condition, like Miss Vaughan, that they never could do without them in
no way, in their after lives. But I don't see that we get on at all
with this stupid little thing; though for the life of me I cannot tell
what the child's head is running upon. She never opens out to me, or
asks a question, unless it is about some of the dumb animals, or the
flowers in the garden, and the trees in the wood.'

[Illustration: "_I cannot tell what the child's head is running
on._"--Page 433.]

"'Or the moon or the clouds,' Fanny added. 'She asked me the other day
who lived in the moon, and whether dead people went there.'

"It is very clear, from the conversation between Mrs. Harris and Fanny,
that Evelyn passed for a dull child, and had very little to say,
because she had not found anyone since she had left The Grove who would
talk to her in her own way and draw out her young ideas, and encourage
her to tell her thoughts. Her father had encouraged her to talk to him
in her own way whilst he was spared to her; and her nurse had been the
kindest, best of foster-mothers. Though, to be sure, she did speak
broad Berkshire, and though she was what learned people would call an
ignorant woman, nurse had the strongest desire to do right, for she had
been made to feel that God was the friend of His creatures. She felt
sure that He would help those who behaved well; and she did what she
could to teach what she knew to her little girl. She told her that she
must be